Is My Cancer Hereditary? Will My Children Get This Cancer, Too?

Cancer can be a hereditary disease, meaning that it can be passed down from a parent to a child through DNA. DNA is made up of segments of genes. Genes are found on pairs of chromosomes. Humans have 23 chromosomes that determine which traits we inherit from our families, such as eye color and height. Unfortunately, we also inherit how likely we are to develop diseases such as cancer.

Just because someone is born with healthy genes does not mean that they will not develop cancer from other causes, such as smoking. Likewise, someone born with an oncogene (a gene that causes cancer) will not necessarily develop cancer.

If you have a family history of cancer, your healthcare provider may recommend genetic testing to determine if your family members also are at risk. Genetic testing can help your healthcare provider develop a treatment plan for you, or relieve your fears that you or your family may develop cancer. However, Cancer.net warns that testing can cause guilt, anxiety, or depression if the results show that you and your loved ones are at high risk.

For more information about genetic testing, call ACS at +1-800-ACS-2345 to receive a copy of a genetic testing resources guide. As always, talk to your healthcare provider and ask whether or not genetic testing is right for you.